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Sunday, November 18, 2012

AN ARGOS-STAMPS GREY CUP

VANCOUVER - At long last, Kevin Glenn is going to get a chance to play in the Grey Cup.

Glenn threw for three touchdown passes as the Calgary Stampeders upset the B.C. Lions 34-29 in the CFL West final on Sunday before a disappointed crowd of 43,216 at B.C. Place Stadium.

The Stampeders, who finished second in the West Division behind B.C. during the regular season, will play the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL title game next Sunday at Rogers Centre.

The loss denied the Lions a second straight Grey Cup.

Glenn drew the starting quarterback assignment after Drew Tate fractured his forearm in last weekend's West semifinal win over Saskatchewan, ending his season.

Glenn has now earned a Grey Cup berth for the first time in his well-travelled, 12-year CFL career.

"It means a lot to actually be able to actually get a team there and actually be playing in the game,'' said Glenn.

He was denied the opportunity in 2007 after he led the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to victory in the East Final but, ironically, also suffered a fractured arm. That year's Grey Cup, which the Bombers lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders with Winnipeg backup quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie making his first start of the season, was also in Toronto.

Glenn, a 33-year-old Detroit native was not expected to play much this season after being acquired in an off-season trade from Hamilton as part of the package for former Calgary QB Henry Burris.

Instead, Glenn played most of the Stampeders' games, because Tate suffered an early-season shoulder injury, and then was bypassed for the first playoff game.

"The line gave me great protection and we were able to get behind their (defensive backs) and throw the ball deep and take some shots, and that's what we'll have to do when we get to Toronto,'' said Glenn, who completed 15 of 24 pass attempts for 303 yards.

Lions defensive back Korey Banks, on an interception, and receiver Nick Moore on a last-minute reception, scored touchdowns for the hosts.

Paul McCallum provided B.C.'s other points by kicking five field goals.

"It's a disappointing day,'' said Lions quarterback Travis Lulay, who completed 33 of 46 passes for 274 yards. "You just hate to come up short in the big one. You know this was a game to have an opportunity to play for a championship, and Calgary earned it today.''

The game marked a rare time in the CFL's modern era when two Canadian tailbacks started for their respective clubs. Calgary's Jon Cornish led the league in rushing during the regular season, the first Canadian to do so since 1988. B.C.'s Andrew Harris had the most yards from scrimmage, becoming only the second Canadian to accomplish the feat since Terry Evanshen in 1967.

But it was Glenn who stole the show following an interception that Banks returned for a B.C. touchdown. Although Glenn is regarded as being slow afoot, the Lions did not register a sack.

"They came with a good scheme and they came with a good understanding of what we we're doing and what we're going to do and everything we did just didn't work out,'' said B.C. defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell.

After overthrowing McDaniel on Calgary's first play from scrimmage, Glenn connected with him on a 68-yard touchdown pass. McDaniel was left wide open in the middle of the field as a result of blown B.C. defensive coverage. The touchdown, which came just 59 seconds into the game, was the second-fastest in CFL playoff history.

"I think they didn't cover down,'' said Glenn. "They came with an all-out blitz, and they may have brought too many guys and not covered down with enough.

"That was the momentum, I think, that we needed early in the game to push us over to the end.''

Banks drew the Lions even at 7-7 on his sensational 77-yard interception return. But despite enabling the Lions to pull within a point, following three McCallum field goals and lead just 17-16 at halftime, the Stamps never trailed again.

With just under six minutes gone in the third quarter, Glenn threw a 57-yard touchdown pass along the sideline to Bryant, the hero of Calgary's last-minute semifinal victory over Saskatchewan. The touchdown staked the Stamps to a 24-16 lead.

Later in the third quarter, Calgary increased its lead to 31-16 on a controversial touchdown. The sequence started as backup QB Mitchell came in briefly and threw a 42-yard pass to Price to the B.C. one-yard line. The Stamps thought they had scored as Price slid into the end zone while being tackled by Byron Parker. Calgary lost a video review as the replay clearly showed Price's knee hit the ground outside of the end zone.

Mitchell was then unsuccessful on two attempted plunges. It looked like the Lions had stopped him a third time as he attempted to dive over defenders with the ball. However, officials signalled a touchdown.

As Paredes was booting a convert, Lions coach Mike Benevides threw a challenge flag to request a replay. But officials allowed play to continue and no challenge was conducted, much to the chagrin of an irate Benevides.

"I really thought it was a stop and threw the flag on the ground knowing I (couldn't) challenge because it looked like they went right into the (convert) and I asked (referee Kim Murphy) and Kim said it had been reviewed in Toronto,'' said Benevides. "Certainly from my look, it didn't look like it was a good go, but I couldn't do anything at that point other than try to make sure that it was reviewed, and Kim told me it was.''

Kickers McCallum and Paredes produced the bulk of the fourth-quarter points by booting field goals before Moore scored on a two-yard toss from Lulay with 59 seconds left in the game. The touchdown pulled the Lions within five points.

But the wily Glenn then proceeded to run out the clock in preparation for his long-awaited chance to play in the Grey Cup.

Notes: Calgary played without linebacker Juwan Simpson, who suffered an ankle injury in the Western semifinal. ... Banks gave the Stampeders bench the choke sign after he came out on the field and was restrained by officials as he drew closer to Calgary's bench. ... B.C. offensive guard Jesse Newman started in place of Dean Valli, who did not play because of a knee injury. Rookie offensive guard Matt Norman, who rejoined the team last week from teachers college at the University of Western Ontario, took Valli's place in the lineup and served as a backup. Newman, who spent 13 games on the injured list with a knee injury of his own, is expected to retire.

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MONTREAL - The Toronto Argonauts acquired Ricky Ray to get them to a Grey Cup game on home turf and now they can say "mission accomplished.''

A masterful Ray passed for 399 yards and dominated the ground game as well as the Argonauts stunned the Montreal Alouettes 27-20 in the CFL East Division final before 50,122 at Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

"He took some big hits and hung in there,'' coach Scott Milanovich said of his veteran quarterback. "I thought he played a tremendous football game, but that's what he's here for.

"That's why he's the one we wanted.''

The Argonauts reached the CFL championship game for the first time since 2004, when they won their 15th Grey Cup with a victory over B.C.

The game next Sunday against the West Division champion Calgary Stampeders will be played at Rogers Centre, the Argonauts' home field. They last won a Grey Cup at home in 1952, lost one in Toronto in 1982 and now they're home again in 2012 - each time exactly 30 years apart.

"It's been a long season for us but we've stuck together and just played it one game at a time,'' said Ray, acquired last winter in a trade from the Edmonton Eskimos. "Now we've got the opportunity to do what we set out to do.''

Ray threw a touchdown pass to Dontrelle Inman and Chad Kackert scored on a long touchdown run. Swayze Waters added three field goals for Toronto, which had lost to Montreal in three previous East final meetings.

But the Alouettes could muster only three second-half points, as Anthony Calvillo was picked off twice by Marcus Ball and saw another pass pulled out of the hands of Eric Deslauriers by Pacino Horne that was ruled a fumble.

"The game's over, but you start thinking about the plays that might have made a difference,'' said Calvillo. "For me there's three - the two interceptions and one ball I missed on Jamel (Richardson) early in the third quarter.

"Those are the plays that are going to eat at me. I feel bad for everyone in this room. We all fought hard to get that first round bye and we wasted a great opportunity.''

The Argonauts star players shone and while Montreal's had their moments, top receivers Richardson and S.J. Green caught only five passes between them.

CFL receiving leader Chad Owens piled up 207 receiving yards on 11 catches - a Toronto playoff record - and was the main target of the veteran Ray who was throwing strikes from the pocket all afternoon.

With kick returns thrown in, Owens had 346 all-purpose yards.

Kackert carried 13 times for 139 yards.

Montreal coach Marc Trestman said the Argonauts had the edge in all three phases of the game and deserved the win.

Still, the Alouettes had a chance to tie the game with 39 seconds remaining. But Brian Bratton couldn't hang onto a third-down pass in the end zone that was tipped by Horne.

"He blocked my view and I think he tipped it a bit,'' a dejected Bratton aid. "It just changed the trajectory.

"Instead of going in my hands, it went off my hands on the opposite side. I never saw it.''

Some wonder if that will be the last pass ever thrown by Calvillo, but the 40-year-old CFL all-time passing leader said he has not yet decided whether he will play another season.

"It's hard to think about that right now,'' he said.

Milanovich, Toronto's first-year coach who was offensive co-ordinator in Montreal last season, said this week that turnovers would be key and there were plenty of them _ three by the Als and four by the Argos, including two on downs.

Trailing 17-10 at the half, the Argonauts tied the game on their first drive, marching 101 yards on four plays including a 69-yard toss to Owens that was stopped at the two with a desperate tackle from Dwight Anderson. Ray hit Inman with a TD pass.

Ball then picked off a Calvillo pass and four plays later, Kackert ran 49 yards straight up the middle for another TD and a 24-17 lead.

A Chip Cox run on a fake punt kept Montreal's drive alive for a field goal, but the Argos answered with three points of their own.

There was no gloating from Milanovich on beating his former club.

"Montreal's been on top of the East for how many years and if you're going to the Grey Cup, it's fitting that you take out the team that has been on top,'' he said. ``I respect those guys.

"I have a lot of friends over there. I know it's tough for them, but I'm just proud of our team.''

Trestman congratulated his former top assistant.

"Now that the game is over I couldn't be more excited for Scott,'' he said. "He and his team are well deserving of winning the game and we wish them the best of luck next week. They'll be a great representative for the east.''

It pains me to say that the 100th Grey Cup is turning into a "Who-Cares Cup" IMHO...I love the CFL, but it will be depressing to watch the 3 or 4 dozen Argo fans aided by "pumped in crowd noise". What worse is they are cheering against the most arrogant/ classless team in the league. The only delight I will find in this game will be seeing the HUNDREDS or green jerseys in the stands and knowing that we outnumber everyone even though our boys arent there.